Tasting notes:
blood orange, blackcurrant, caramel
Region: Nyeri
Farmer: 900 smallholders
Variety: SL28, SL34, Ruiru11, Batian
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1800-2100 masl
Roast: Filter
The story
Gachatha factory is operated by the Gachatha Farmers Cooperative Society and sits on 391 acres between the villages of Muthuaini, Thiriku, Gachenge, and Kianjau. It was built in 1963, and current membership is about 1,050, with roughly 900 active members. The factory has nine permanent staff, and hires around 25 seasonal workers to oversee receipt and processing during the harvest season. The average farmer has about 300 coffee trees, on less than one hectare of land. Farmers here typically grow other crops together with coffee, that supports biodiversity in the soil. The area surrounding Gachatha is densely populated, which requires the factory to take particular precautions with regards to waste water and pollutants. The factory has soak pits for water treatment to avoid contamination with fresh-water sources, and the community takes care to preserve the indigenous plant life in the area, to protect local bird and animal species.
